What Are Inhalants?

Inhalants are chemicals found in ordinary household or workplace products that people inhale on purpose to get “high.” Because many inhalants can be found around the house, people often don’t realize that inhaling their fumes, even just once, can be very harmful to the brain and body and can lead to death. In fact, the chemicals found in these products can change the way the brain works and cause other problems in the body.

Although different inhalants cause different effects, they generally fall into one of four categories.

Volatile solvents are liquids that become a gas at room temperature. They are found in:

Nitrites are a class of inhalants used mainly to enhance sexual experiences. Organic nitrites include amyl, butyl, and cyclohexyl nitrites and other related compounds. Amyl nitrite was used in the past by doctors to help with chest pain and is sometimes used today to diagnose heart problems. Nitrites now are prohibited by the Consumer Product Safety Commission but can still be found, sold in small bottles labeled as “video head cleaner,” “room odorizer,” “leather cleaner,” or “liquid aroma.”

How Are Inhalants Used?

People who use inhalants breathe in the fumes through their nose or mouth, usually by:

“Sniffing” or “snorting” fumes from containers

Spraying aerosols directly into the nose or mouth

Sniffing or inhaling fumes from substances sprayed or placed into a plastic or paper bag (“bagging”)

“Huffing” from an inhalant-soaked rag stuffed in the mouth

Inhaling from balloons filled with nitrous oxide

Because the “high” lasts only a few minutes, people who use inhalants often try to make the feeling last longer by inhaling repeatedly over several hours.

How Do Inhalants Affect the Brain?

The lungs absorb inhaled chemicals into the bloodstream very quickly, sending them throughout the brain and body. Nearly all inhalants (except nitrites) produce a pleasurable effect by slowing down brain activity. Nitrites, in contrast, expand and relax blood vessels.

Short-Term Effects

Within seconds, users feel intoxicated and experience effects similar to those of alcohol, such as slurred speech, lack of coordination, euphoria (a feeling of intense happiness), and dizziness. Some users also experience lightheadedness, hallucinations (seeing things that are not really there), and delusions (believing something that is not true). If enough of the chemical is inhaled, nearly all solvents and gases produce anesthesia—a loss of sensation—and can lead to unconsciousness.

The high usually lasts only a few minutes, causing people to continue the high by inhaling repeatedly, which is very dangerous. Repeated use in one session can cause a person to lose consciousness and possibly even die.

With repeated inhaling, many users feel less inhibited and less in control. Some may feel drowsy for several hours and have a headache that lasts a while.

Long-Term Effects

Inhalants often contain more than one chemical. Some chemicals leave the body quickly, but others stay for a long time and get absorbed by fatty tissues in the brain and central nervous system. Over the long term, the chemicals can cause serious problems:

Damage to nerve fibers. Long-term inhalant use can break down the protective sheath around certain nerve fibers in the brain and elsewhere in the body. When this happens, nerve cells are not able to send messages as well, which can cause muscle spasms and tremors or even permanent trouble with basic actions like walking, bending, and talking. These effects are similar to what happens to people with multiple sclerosis.

Damage to brain cells. Inhalants also can damage brain cells by preventing them from getting enough oxygen. The effects of this condition, also known as brain hypoxia, depend on the area of the brain affected. The hippocampus, for example, is responsible for memory, so someone who repeatedly uses inhalants may be unable to learn new things or may have a hard time carrying on simple conversations. If the cerebral cortex is affected, the ability to solve complex problems and plan ahead will be compromised. And, if the cerebellum is affected, it can cause a person to move slowly or be clumsy.

Can You Get Addicted to Inhalants?

It isn’t common, but addiction can happen. Some people, particularly those who use inhalants a lot and for a long time, report a strong need to continue using inhalants. Using inhalants over and over again can cause mild withdrawal when stopped. In fact, research in animal models shows that toluene can affect the brain in a way that is similar to other drugs of use (e.g., amphetamines). Toluene increases dopamine activity in reward areas of the brain, and the long-term disruption of the dopamine system is one of the key factors leading to addiction.

Can You Die If You Use Inhalants?

Asphyxiation—toxic fumes replace oxygen in the lungs so that a person stops breathing

Suffocation—air is blocked from entering the lungs when inhaling fumes from a plastic bag placed over the head

Convulsions or seizures—abnormal electrical discharges in the brain

Coma—the brain shuts down all but the most vital functions

Choking—inhaling vomit after inhalant use

Injuries—accidents, including driving, while intoxicated

How Many Teens Use Inhalants?

Inhalants are often among the first drugs that young adolescents use. In fact, they are one of the few classes of drugs that are used more by younger adolescents than older ones. Inhalant use can become chronic and continue into adulthood.

Chat Day Transcripts

0566572 International Studies Preparatory Academy, Florida:

what are some of the consequences of poor drug quality

Dave Thomas

Good morning! First question of the day for me! That is a good question. If you get drugs on the street, it is really hard to know what you get, Sometimes, drug dealers "cut" or add stuff to the drugs, and who knows what they put in. It is a gamble, and depending on what is put in, all sorts of things could happen. And other times, one might get more of the drug (say opioids) then is expected. The result can include overdose.

Sagu Sugar Land Middle, Texas:

Are inhalants the worst drugs you can take?

Nancy Pilotte

Uh, is this a contest? The worst drug you can take is the one you are thinking of using right now, especially if you have immediate access to it. Choose your poison--stimulants like cocaine and narcotics like heroin or morphine can kill you immediately. The old standbys like nicotine and alcohol usually take a little longer. Stay smart and avoid these choices! For more info on drugs see: http://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts

National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week design mark, and associated trade dress are registered trademarks of HHS. SHATTER THE MYTHS is a trademark and service mark of HHS.